Ceramic tiles in France: between aesthetic upgrades and structural market restructuring

An aesthetic and technical offering that has never been so accomplished.

According to experts at MSI Reports, the ceramic tile market has never offered such a rich and diverse selection as it does today. Advances in high-definition digital printing make it possible to reproduce the finest materials (travertine, slate, limestone, Burgundy stone) with stunning realism at affordable prices.

The stone look has emerged as the dominant aesthetic trend, supplanting the concrete effects that had dominated the market for a decade.

At the same time, small decorative formats such as zellige, handcrafted enamels and majolica-style tiles are experiencing a lasting surge in popularity, driven by social networks and a growing desire for the personalization of spaces.

At the other end of the spectrum, large rectified slabs laid with tight joints transform interiors into continuous and clean surfaces, profoundly reshaping the aesthetic standards of the sector.

In this movement of aesthetic recomposition, the wood look has largely declined over the past two years, particularly indoors where it is suffering from the full force of competition from vinyl and laminate flooring, whose wood imitations have become very convincing at often lower prices.

Outdoors, the options are more limited: wood-look tiles remain the only solution that allows you to achieve the look of an exotic wood terrace without any maintenance, an argument that remains highly relevant for individuals.

The rise of large formats, a confirmed structural trend

The MSI Reports study confirms a major structural trend: the continued growth of large formats, first and foremost the 60x120 cm, which has grown by more than 15 points in volume in one year, and should gradually establish itself as the second reference format on the market after the 60x60 cm.

In just a few years, this format has gone from a high-end niche to a market standard increasingly represented in all distribution channels. This evolution reflects a demand for more contemporary surfaces, with fewer visible joints and a more monolithic appearance.

The 60x60 cm format remains dominant, representing more than a third of market volume, but its hegemony is gradually being rebalanced by the rise of larger formats, which now account for approximately 10% of total sales volume in France. It should be noted, however, that the market for tiles larger than 120x120 cm is quite small: they currently represent only about 2% of the porcelain stoneware market.

The MSI Reports study focuses extensively on 20mm panels, the driving force of the market.

Outdoors, thick 20mm slabs laid on pedestals represent one of the most dynamic segments of the market. According to the research firm MSI Reports, this segment has profoundly reshaped the outdoor cladding market, gradually supplanting traditional thick tiles laid with adhesive.

The installation on pedestals, which is faster, more reliable and free from the risks of cracking linked to thermal variations, has become the reference technique for landscapers, individuals and waterproofing companies.

These represent a particularly solid market opportunity: they are turning massively to 20 mm ceramic tiles for roof terraces in renovation, replacing less aesthetically pleasing alternative solutions.

This market, relatively uncorrelated with residential real estate cycles, offers valuable resilience in a more constrained economic environment. Some manufacturers are even going so far as to enter into direct supply framework agreements with roofers, as well as with landscapers, based on strategic priorities and the need to maintain profit margins.

A market under competitive pressure, in an uncertain environment

MSI Reports highlights that this qualitative dynamism is occurring within a demanding economic and competitive environment. The new construction crisis, which began in 2022, is weighing on volumes, while the effects of the recovery in existing home sales are not yet fully visible. In the domestic market, ceramic tiles face expanding competition that is advancing on several fronts simultaneously: paint, whose low cost and decorative flexibility appeal to customers increasingly inclined to renovate their spaces without major construction work; large-format wall panels, which have significantly improved their aesthetic appeal and moisture resistance to the point of beginning to compete with ceramic tiles even in shower areas; and LVT/SPC, which are capturing a growing share of the residential flooring market thanks to their affordability, ease of installation, and attractive design.

Internal competition within the ceramic tile sector has also intensified in the supply chain, with the rise of competitively priced suppliers. It's worth noting that Turkey's market share has almost doubled in just a few years.

Added to this are the geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran, which pose a real risk to natural gas prices, of which the ceramics industry is a major consumer. While these tensions have already begun to impact production costs, factory gate prices have remained generally stable to date, as manufacturers are currently absorbing the pressure without passing it on to their customers.

Prospects for recovery by 2027-2030

In the medium term, according to experts at MSI Reports, the ceramic tile market should begin a gradual recovery from 2027-2028, driven by the normalization of the real estate market (housing needs, Jeanbrun scheme), the improvement of financing conditions and the delayed rebound of new construction.

Higher value-added segments (large formats, thick outdoor slabs, handcrafted designs) should drive this recovery, in a market that will have completed its structural restructuring around more differentiated and higher-quality products. Those players who have managed to maintain their positions in these segments during the contraction period will be best positioned to capitalize on the return to growth.

Growth factors

• A comprehensive and high-quality offer
• A positioning at different price levels
• A large existing park
• Progression of 20 mm slabs (“new outlet for roofers”)
• Building permits on the rise

Market constraints

• Competition from LVT, laminate, wall panels, paint
• Construction starts struggling
• Buyers are adopting a wait-and-see approach in an uncertain climate, encouraging them to save.
• Uncertainties regarding the evolution of gas prices

A study that has just been published

In June 2026, MSI Reports published a detailed study on the ceramic tile market in France.

With 212 pages and 110 tables and graphs, MSI Reports provides an in-depth analysis of market developments in France in 2025, with historical data from 2019 and forecasts up to 2030. The study also includes an analysis of the competitive structure and profiles of 23 manufacturers operating in the market.

This publication is available from €1.995 (excluding VAT).

Image illustrating the article via Depositphotos.com.